Knowledge Management and Systems Notes

Knowledge Management and Its Systems

Conceptual Foundations and Research Issues
  • Review of the fundamental concepts surrounding knowledge management (KM) and knowledge management systems (KMS).
Knowledge and the Firm
  • Key Theories:
    • Transaction cost theory
    • Knowledge-based view of the firm
    • Competitive strategy (I/O)
    • Resource-based view
    • Core competence
Knowledge Perspectives
  • Table 1: Knowledge Perspectives and Their Implications
    • Knowledge vs. Data and Information:
    • Data: Facts, raw numbers.
    • Information: Processed or interpreted data.
    • Knowledge: Personalized information.
    • Implications for KM:
    • Focus on exposing individuals to useful info and facilitating assimilation.
    • Enhance individual learning through information provision.
    • Key issues: Building and managing knowledge stocks.
    • Implications for KMS:
    • Extended role of IT to assist in user assimilation of information.
    • IT's role: Access to sources of knowledge, gathering, storing, transferring knowledge.
Knowledge Perspectives Continued
  • Process and Access to Information:
    • Knowledge as a flow process.
    • Focus on knowledge creation and distribution.
    • IT supports knowledge linkages and enhances knowledge flows.
Types of Knowledge
  • Tacit Knowledge:
    • Rooted in actions, experience, and context.
    • Examples:
    • Best practices in customer relations.
    • Individual beliefs regarding relationships.
  • Explicit Knowledge:
    • Articulated, codified information.
    • Examples:
    • Medical procedures and protocols.
  • Other Types:
    • Declarative (Know-about), Procedural (Know-how), Causal (Know-why), Conditional (Know-when), Relational (Know-with), Pragmatic (Useful knowledge for organizations).
Expert Knowledge
  • Definition:
    • Information stored in an expert’s mind for solving complex problems.
  • Knowledge Chunking:
    • Storing information in ways that optimize memory and processing.
  • Expert vs. Non-expert:
    • Experts categorize problems and use knowledge-based decision strategies.
    • Non-experts focus on goals, potentially making tasks more time-consuming.
Knowledge Management Systems (KMS)
  • Definition: Information systems for managing organizational knowledge.
  • Applications: Coding best practices, creating knowledge directories, and networks.
Knowledge Management Process
  • Basic Assumption: Firms are social collectives with knowledge systems.
  • Processes:
    • Knowledge creation, storage, retrieval, transfer, and application.
Knowledge Creation Mechanisms
  • Interactions:
    • Externalization, Internalization, Socialization, Combination of knowledge.
Knowledge Storage and Retrieval
  • Organizational Memory Components:
    • People, groups, organizational units, inter-organizational networks, artifacts, practices, and technologies.
Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms
  • Knowledge Application Components:
    • Integrating knowledge through directives, routines, and teams.
  • Role of IT in embedding and capturing knowledge.
Research Questions Concerning Knowledge Management Issues
  • Knowledge Creation:
    • Conditions facilitating knowledge creation, role of IT, cultural impacts.
  • Knowledge Storage and Retrieval:
    • Incentives for sharing, context for storage, access by unknowing individuals.
  • Knowledge Transfer:
    • Effective transfer strategies, organizational impacts of IT.
  • Knowledge Application:
    • Factors affecting knowledge application, bridging application gaps.
  • IT and KM Implications:
    • Consequences of IT on knowledge availability, capturing modifications, and trust in IT-captured knowledge.